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Maybe Recess Can Fight Obesity

Murfreesboro, Tennessee, considers supporting recess to slim down its students.

October 15, 2013

Murfreesboro educators will look to school recess as a way to combat Rutherford County’s 30 percent obesity rate.

The Murfreesboro City School Board will meet tonight to discuss the issue, and board member Nancy Phillips says she wants to make sure that recess isn’t cut.

“It’s just about making sure our kids have age-appropriate time for exercising,” Phillips said. “I think it’s very important because these are children we’re talking about. Exercise is very important to their mental and physical well-being. They need to be able to run around and de-stress a little bit.”

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Late last year, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a statement urging schools not to cut recess, which the group says helps kids develop a healthy lifestyle. In an effort to increase time for academics in light of testing requirements, some schools, including Metro Nashville at one point, have cut or eliminated recess to boost classroom time.